SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY SECTION Report for the month of February 2014

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SM Dan Pruitt, AE6SX- ASMs K6YK and N2NS, ACC W6DPD, SEC KF6FIR, OOC N1VM,
STM K6RAU, PIC K6QI, TC W6TE.

Is it Spring or Winter?  Weather is so changeable; it is difficult to
make plans.  Still all the newsletters report Public Service Events,
projects on antennas and for served agencies.  Emergency Communications
Training using the latest modes are being practiced.

Amateur Radio has always been exciting and the Centennial events
continue to entice all operators.  Every month we are reminded, in QST,
of the leaps and progress of radio over the last 100 years.

Yet we continue to advance.  Satellites are orbited like confetti,
digital modes and applications and smaller devices every day.

If you are not participating, you are missing out on all the fun! 
Winlink, PSK, JT65, RTTY and ATV are in the capability of every Ham.

Attend your local Club meetings, get into a contest, and build
something.  Let's play radio!  When we see you at the Centennial
Regional Convention at Pacificon in October, there will be many stories
to tell.

73;
Dan Pruitt, AE6SX

Mark your Calendars:
Desert RATS Hamfest  March 15, 2014, Palm Springs.  
www.palmspringshamfest.com  Red Monkey Communications  Open house &
swap meet & VE testing March 15th at  5719 W. Barstow Ave, Fresno.  See
details at  www.redmonkeycb.com/ .  Communications Academy, March 22-23,
2014. Go to www.commacademy.org/ for details.  Seattle, Washington.  The
2014 International DX Convention will be April 4-6, 2014, at the Visalia
Convention Center.  Check www.dxconvention.org for information.  SEA-PAC
is June 6 - 8, 2014 at Seaside, Oregon.  For more information go to
www.seapac.org/.  Pacificon 2014/Regional ARRL Centennial Convention is
10 through 14 October 2014.  Details at www.pacificon.org/.

NEWS: From ARRL newsletters.  Read complete articles from February to
now, on the website.
   02/05/2014 | Cuba’s 5 MHz Band Comes with Strings Attached. Hams
using Cuba's new 5 MHz band may not contact hams outside of Cuba. 

 02/07/2014 | The Arecibo Observatory Club (KP4AO) is setting up a new
Amateur Radio station. 

 02/10/2014 | ARRL's Education & Technology Program will offer three
Teachers Institute sessions this year. 

 02/14/2014 | Orlando HamCation was the first of six ARRL Regional
Centennial conventions. 

 02/18/2014 | ARRL's Atlantic Division has provided forum resources
aiming at helping clubs.

 02/18/2014 | FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, will keynote the
ARRL Centennial Banquet in July. 

 02/24/2014 | “Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless
Communication” is World Amateur Radio Day 2014 Theme,   April 18. 

 02/27/2014 | March 1, Gary Grant, K7VY, will take over as Nevada
Section Manager. 

 02/28/2014 | More Amateur Radio CubeSats Released into Orbit from ISS,
Launched from Japan.

 03/04/2014 | Ham Radio Will Play a Role in “HI-SEAS” Simulated
Mars Mission.  Science researchers will have ham radio along when they
simulate life in a Martian habitat. 
 03/06/2014 | Hams’ Experimental VLF Signals Heard in the UK,
Europe.

Contests: 
MARCH 2014

+ Wisconsin QSO Party        1800Z, Mar 9 to 0100Z, Mar 10
+ CWops Mini-CWT Test        1300Z-1400Z, Mar 12 and   1900Z-2000Z, Mar 12
and
    0300Z-0400Z, Mar 13
+ BARTG HF RTTY Contest        0200Z, Mar 15 to 0200Z, Mar 17
+ Russian DX Contest        1200Z, Mar 15 to 1200Z, Mar 16
+ Virginia QSO Party        1400Z, Mar 15 to 0200Z, and Mar 16 1200Z-2400Z,
Mar 16
+ North American Sprint, SSB        0000Z-0400Z, Mar 16
+ Bucharest Contest        1800Z-2059Z, Mar 17
+ CWops Mini-CWT Test        1300Z-1400Z, Mar 19 and   1900Z-2000Z, Mar 19
and
  0300Z-0400Z, Mar 20
+ Oklahoma QSO Party        1300Z, Mar 22 to 0100Z, Mar 23 and
  1300Z-1900Z, Mar 23
+ Louisiana QSO Party        1500Z, Mar 22 to 0300Z, Mar 23
+ QCWA Spring QSO Party        1800Z, Mar 22 to 1800Z, Mar 23
+ CWops Mini-CWT Test        1300Z-1400Z, Mar 26 and   1900Z-2000Z, Mar 26
and
  0300Z-0400Z, Mar 27
+ CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB        0000Z, Mar 29 to 2359Z, Mar 30

APRIL 2014

+ SARL 80m QSO Party        1700Z-2000Z, Apr 3
+ Mississippi QSO Party        1400Z, Apr 5 to 0200Z, Apr 6
+ New Mexico QSO Party        1400Z, Apr 12 to 0200Z, Apr 13
+ Georgia QSO Party        1800Z, Apr 12 to 2359Z, Apr 13
+ Hungarian Straight Key Contest        1500Z-1700Z, Apr 13

CLUBS

CLOVIS ARP ++  Their website sings of exploits from T-Hunts, Public
Service events and praises of The ARRL Centennial information.  Rob
AE6GE, with one event completed has 2 more to look forward to in April.
  www.k6arp.org/

FRESNO ARC++   Identity theft was the topic for February’s monthly
club meeting.  Excellent program for the Valentines Day backdrop.  The
XYL's were impressed.  The topic was discussed by the well-versed XYL
of Duane KI6QEL.  Ron N6MTS discusses 160 mtr Vert in a small lot. 
www.w6to.com

KERN CCV ARC++  Feb 'Communicator' adds 2 new items to the news letter.
 "Ham of the Month" is a biograhy of renouned Ham in the Club by John
KG6ZBN.  The first in the spot light is Steve KB6WR.  "Mode of the
Month" .  The other item is "Mode of the Month" by  Eric NI6TE.  Of
course the first is the simplest, CW.    Email:KCCVARC@gmail.com also
on facebook.

LODI ARC ++   March Program is Digital Amateur Television, by Ron,
N6GKJ.  April Program is an   Emergency Exercise, San Joaquin County
ARES EC-Guy W6MSU.  lodiamateurradioclub.org/

LOS BANOS ARC ++  Fox hunt & Dinner is on the March program..  
www.aa6lb.org

STANISLAUS ARA ++  Club Officers 2014 - Pres: Lucian, KF6NPG; VP: Don,
KR6US; Sec: Bill, AE6J; Treas: Paul,  W6UHF.  Complete 2014 Calendar
for SARA is here.  www.saraclub.net/

SIERRA ARC ++  “How do you know you are ready?”, said the Pres
Dave, KJ6VRV.  He is referring to disaster preparedness.  It is
necessary to shut down the 146.64 translator so the IWV emergency Net
is moving to the 147.00 repeater, same time and day.  20 Mule Team
Endurance Ride Report is  a good read.   www.qsl.net/wa6ybn/ 

STOCKTON DELTA ARC ++  "The squeaky wheel gets the oil", says Pres.
Paul, N6KZW.  His article is an accurate understanding of the purpose
of ARRL.  John, NZ6Q, I believe authored the great article on the
Linden Bike ride using APRS and voice.  Well done  www.w6sf.org

TURLOCK ARC ++ The Valentine Dinner was a success with 35 attendees for
steak, Chicken and Lobster.  Multiple highlights of Amateur Radio's time
line.  Very nice “Thank you” to some guests at the meeting.  Well
done TARC. www.w6bxn.org.

STATION ACTIVITIES
JT65 has become the mode of choice for some hams in the Section. 
KJ6HUP, N6DVR, W6NIF, W6MSU, KW6PWG, AG6BP, KI6QEL, K6XJ, and W6DPD are
seen on the screen. 
W6DPD and K6XJ have WAS using JT65.  
Silent Keys since the last report: None.

Traffic for February 2014:
ORS: WS6P 1553, K6RAU 114 W6SX 14  Total 1571
PSHR: WS6P 155, W6SX 28, K6RAU 87

Need to take an Amateur exam? Are you having an exam? Check the ARRL
web page, www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml for exam information.
You can also search for Amateur Radio Classes in your area and register
your exam. Instructors can also register classes there.
Card Checking in the Section: You can get cards checked for awards
within the section. W6XK, K6ZZ, and W6DPD can check your cards for DXCC
in accordance with the rules for field checking. DXCC card checkers may
now check cards dated from Nov 15, 1945, including Deleted DXCC
Entities. K6ZZ can now check 160 Meter Cards. DXCC card checkers may,
at their discretion, check cards for WAS, WAC, and VUCC. W6DPD and K6ZZ
can check cards for the CQ Awards, WAZ, DX, Field, and Prefixes. The
card checkers may also check applications for the IARU Region 2 Award.
ARRL Special Service Clubs may appoint a HF awards manager for WAS and
a VHF Awards Manager for VUCC.

The Webinar by Hank Garretson, W6SX, has been posted to the WWROF
webpage (www.wwrof.org) under the Webinars link. 
Hanks presentation will be of particular interest to "Little Pistols"
and those who are space limited. It's worth checking out!

Hank added a link to the elevation plot which can be viewed at
http://www.heywhatsthat.com/ 
Also the Ladder Snaps in the presentation can be found at
http://www.73cnc.com/product_p/ls100.htm You can e-mail Hank at
w6sx@arrl.net for additional details.

The K6RAU (our Traffic Manager) Morse Code Instruction Course is
available at www.pdarrl.org/K6RAU or www.pdarrl.org/k6rau.
No need to know a "dit" from a "dah", simply with paper and pencil, and
following the instructions.

San Joaquin Valley Nets:
The Noontime net meets on 7.268.5 MHz. This net handles a lot of
messages. 
Daytime Region 6 Traffic Net meets daily at 3:30 pacific time on or
near 7.275 MHZ. This one is probable not in operation at this time.
The California Traffic Net meets daily on 3.906 MHZ and 6:00 PM local
time. 
The Golden Bear Amateur Radio Net meets nightly at 7:00 PM local time
on 3.975 MHZ. 
Northern California Net (NCN), the Section Traffic Net, meets nightly
on 3.533 MHZ at 7 PM Pacific Time. 
San Joaquin Net meets Monday-Saturday on 3918khz, at 6 PM Pacific
Time.
Western Public Service System (WPSS) meets nightly on 3952khz, roll -
at 7:30 PM local Pacific Time.
The Mission Trail Net meets nightly on 3.856 MHZ at 8:00 PM local
time.
Northern California Net 2 (NCN2) The slow speed training session of
NCN, meets nightly on 3.533 MHZ at 9 PM Pacific Time. Handling traffic
on CW is a good way to improve your CW skills. 

CWops Tests are held every second and third Wednesday of each month at
1300Z, 1900Z, and 0300Z (Thursday). Info and rules at
http://www.cwops.org/cwt.html .

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ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section
Section Manager: Dan Pruitt, AE6SX
ae6sx@arrl.org
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